Fatal Frame V: Maiden of Black Water Announced for Western Release In Fall 2015 (Wii U)

Fatal Frame V: Maiden of Black Water is coming to Wii U in the West in Fall 2015, as a huge Survival Horror exclusive and the fifth game in Tecmo’s ghost & ghoul photo-capturing franchise.

Check out the debut English trailer for Fatal Frame 5 which was entirely ABSENT (FOR SHAME!) from Nintendo’s E3 2015 Press Conference Digital Event.

“Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water” (as it’s officially titled in the West) is the first Fatal Frame game for the Wii U.

Nintendo bought enough stock in Tecmo Koei that they co-own the franchise, and get the exclusive for all future Fatal Frame games. Too bad they don’t seem to want to promote them better so they actually sell, eh?

Fatal Frame V: Maiden of Black Water” for Wii U is the fifth game in the franchise (called “Project Zero” in Japan), following the Japan-onlyFatal Frame IV: Tsukihami no Kamen” for Wii (2008) and the Wii remake of Fatal Frame II (2012, also Japan only).

“Fatal Frame III: The Tormented” was released back in 2005 for PS2 (Also available on PSN); “Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly” was released in 2003 for PS2 & 2004 on Xbox (Also available on PSN); And the original game, “Fatal Frame”, was released way back in 2001 for PS2 & 2002 for Original Xbox (NOT available on PSN…). Be sure to check out my 2007 Original Xbox Fatal Frame Review to see what I thought of that amazing game.

There was also a 3DS spin-off in 2012 entitled “Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir“.

Thankfully, Fatal Frame V makes great use of the Wii U GamePad as your camera, which is literally about as perfect a fit as can be imagined; and the game looks creepy as hell and absolutely gorgeous.

Now check out 25 minutes straight of awesome gameplay for Fatal Frame V, from Nintendo’s E3 2015 TreeHouse Live Day 2 Coverage!

FATAL FRAME: MAIDEN OF BLACK WATER SYNOPSIS

The Fatal Frame Series Lives Again
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is comprised of three interconnected stories that converge to uncover the truth behind a recent string of tragic deaths in a forest marred by a history of suicides.

As one of three people with the power of the Camera Obscura and the ability to see the shadows of those spirited away, you’ll explore the ruins of an eerie inn, a shrine filled with life-size dolls, and a lake full of dead priestesses.

Each shadowy location is connected by a stream of water flowing throughout the mountain, and this once holy water is tied to the darkest mystery of all—the history of death and darkness on Mt. Hikami.

Key Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water Features:

* Survive this horrifying new entry in the Fatal Frame series.

* Explore sinister locales like an underground cave for human sacrifices and a shrine for life-sized dolls.

* Use the Wii U GamePad controller as your Camera Obscura—your only defense against fatal ghosts.

* Mt. Hikami is coursing with inexplicably dangerous water; stay dry or die.

* Investigate and stay alive on the deadly Mt. Hikami.

Fatal Frame V Maiden of the Black Water Wii U Artwork Official Nintendo

Nintendo made a HUGE mistake by not promoting Fatal Frame V during their E3 2015 Live Broadcast Press Conference.

What are they thinking? I guess we’ll have to show it off for them!

I absolutely ADORE the Fatal Frame franchise and it is among my all-time favorites in all of the videogame world. It is, in my personal opinion, the scariest franchise. Often even rivaling Silent Hill (also read my 2006 Silent Hill 2 review to compare it with my Fatal Frame 1 review).

Nintendo really needs to hire a whole new marketing team, because they are failing epicly. As one commentor put it, “It’s like Nintendo wants this game to not sell.”

Truly baffling, because it looks absolutely awesome and I absolutely cannot wait to play it!

If they really wanted to sell copies, all they’d have to do is bundle this with the unreleased Fatal Frame IV for Wii. Make it a pre-order exclusive, give it its own disc, and this game would literally fly off store shelves…

I hope, if that doesn’t happen, that this game sells well enough that they can put both Fatal Frame IV AND V as digital Wii U eShop titles. Both deserve their chance to shine.

Will you be buying Fatal Frame V: Maiden of Black Water?